november 13– january 14

information and sights

whereto go

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Currently...The Goran Bregovič Wedding and Funeral Band • a concert by the famous musician of Croatian-Serbian origin with a large ensemble made up of a brass band, bagpipes, string orchestra, male and female choirs • Congress Centre, 3 Nov www . kcp.cz

Jake and Dinos Chapman: The Blind Leading the Blind • an exhibition presenting selected works by the Chapman brothers, a tandem of distinguished versatile artists • Rudolfinum Gallery, 3 Oct 2013 – 5 Jan 2013 www . galerierudolfinum.cz

St. Martin Wine • the traditional tasting of young wines • St. Clara Vineyard, Botanical Gardens, Troja, 11 Nov www . botanicka.cz

Oskar Kokoschka – Graphic Prints • a cross-section of graphic art works by a seminal pioneer of Expressionism • Kinsky Palace, 11 Oct 2013 – 5 Jan 2014 www . ngprague.cz

Joyce DiDonato – Drama Queens • the globally renowned mezzo-soprano will be giving a performance made up of Baroque royal arias • Dvořák Hall, Rudolfinum, 5 Nov www . nachtigallartists.cz

Antique – Autumn 2013 • the 32nd trade fair, this time presenting Art Nouveau items • New Town Hall, 21 – 24 Nov www . asociace.com

Cyril and Methodius – History, Tradition, Respect • an exhibition marking the 1150th anniversary of the arrival of the Slavonic missionaries in Great Moravia • Convent of Saint Agnes of Bohemia, 1 Nov 2013 – 2 Feb 2014 www . ngprague.cz

Czech Philharmonic Advent Concerts • eight festive performances by the first-class orchestra • Suk Hall, Rudolfinum, every Advent Sunday www . ceskafilharmonie.cz

Christmas Market – a festive market with a colourful accompanying programme • Prague – Holešovice Exhibition Grounds, 6 – 8 Dec www . incheba.cz

Magnetic Festival • an international indoor electronic music festival • PVA EXPO Letňany, 20 Dec www . magneticfestival.cz

Olbram Zoubek • a retrospective exhibition of works by the leading Czech sculptor • Prague Castle Riding School, 29 Nov 2013 – 2 March 2014 www . praguewelcome.cz

Czech Touches of Music • the 15th edition of one of the biggest music festivals in the Czech Republic • Various venues in Prague, 16 Dec 2013 – 6 Jan 2014 www . ceskedotekyhudby.cz

Twelfth Night Parade • the annual procession on the eve of Epiphany • 3.30 pm, 5 Jan 2014, by the Archbishop Palace on Hradčany Square www . praguewelcome.cz

FRIDAY 22ND NOVEMBER 2013, 20 PM

PRAGUE, TIP SPORT ARENA HOLEŠOVICETickets: www.ticketpro.cz www.ticketprotal.cz

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Did you know that...

◗ ... the lookout tower on Petřín hill is a loose copy of the Eiffel Tower in miniature? It was built upon the initiative of the Club of Czech Tourists for the Gen-eral Land Centennial Exhibition in Prague in 1891. The tower is 63.5 metres high and the top observa-tion platform is accessible via 299 steps. It offers a breath-taking view of Prague and in clear weather you can seen as far as the mythical Mount Říp, the České středohoří and Krkonoše mountains. A charming building a few metres from the lookout tower contains a mirror maze and a stunning diorama depicting a scene from the Thirty Years War when the Czechs were fighting the Swedes on the Charles Bridge in 1648.

◗ ... the world-famous astronomer, astrologist and alchemist Tycho Brahe is buried in Prague? Born in 1546 in Denmark, he studied rhetoric and philoso-phy in Copenhagen and law in Leipzig. After inherit-ing a great fortune, he began intensively devoting to his esoteric hobbies. In 1571 he was provided with his own observatory, where a year later he watched and described the explosion of a supernova in the Cassiopeia constellation. Brahe travelled throughout Europe and in 1599 Emperor Rudolf II invited him to Prague to serve as his personal as-trologer. He died, evidently of kidney failure, in the Czech capital in 1601 and was buried at the Church of Our Lady Before Týn on the Old Town Square.

◗ ... according to the Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the world’s largest castle complex? A UNESCO World Heritage site, since its establishment in the last quarter of the 9th century its appearance has changed on numerous occasions. It consists of palaces and ec-clesiastical structures of various architectural styles, ranging from Romanesque buildings from the 10th century through Gothic modifications in the 14th cen-tury, later Baroque conversions, the Slovenian architect Josip Plečnik’s extensive renovations during the first Czechoslovak Republic to the post-1989 renovations and reconstructions. Prague Castle sprawls around three courtyards and its landmark is St. Vitus Cathedral, which houses the Czech crown jewels. From the 9th century it was the seat of Czech Princes and Kings, and since 1918 Czechoslovak and Czech Presidents.

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Prague Walks - Vyšehrad

Vyšehrad gives its name to both a southern quar-ter of Prague and a rock with a historic fortress towering above the river Vltava.

Legend has it that long ago it was settled by chief-tain Krok and his retinue, and that his wise daughter Princess Libuše prophesied the future glory of Prague. According to another myth, the stallion Šemík saved his master Horymír from being sentenced to death by surmounting the ramparts and jumping from the rock.

Archaeological research has confirmed that the first settlement at Vyšehrad dates back to the end of the 4th or beginning of the 3rd millennium BC, yet major findings only date from the first half of the 10th cen-tury AD, evidencing that a small chapel was built on a Greek cross ground plan under the later St. Laurence Basilica. Accordingly, everything attests to the fact that the fortified settlement at Vyšehrad is about a century younger than Prague Castle. Around the turn of the 11th century a royal mint operated there, as docu-mented by the inscriptions on old coins. The walled-in settlement spread over the area of approximately 9 to 10 hectares.Circa 1070, Prince Vratislav II moved from Prague Cas-tle to Vyšehrad, extended the ramparts and built a sov-ereign’s palatial residence. Moreover, he founded the Church of St. Peter and Paul, a distinguished canonry, the St. Laurence Basilica and the Rotunda of St. Martin. In 1085, Vratislav II was named King of Bohemia and Poland, the event’s anniversary was then honoured by the Vyšehrad Codex, one of Europe’s most valuable Ro-manesque manuscript Gospel Books. Members of the ruling Přemyslid dynasty are buried in the crypt of the Church of St. Peter and Paul.Vyšehrad served as the residence of Czech monarchs from circa 1070 to 1140, when Prince Soběslav I moved the seat back to Prague Castle, yet it retained its signifi-cance, mainly owing to the Canonry, which was subor-dinated directly to the Pope and whose representatives participated in diplomatic negotiations. In 1249, the Church of St. Peter and Paul was seriously damaged by a fire. Its subsequent reconstruction lasted several decades and, later on, Queen Eliška ordered its extensive Gothic conversion. Following its refurbish-

ment, the church was 110 metres long, thus becoming one of the largest Christian structures in Prague. Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV further modified the Church of St. Peter and Paul, and built at Vyšehrad new ram-parts with two huge gates, with the remnants of one of them having been preserved up to the present day. In 1420, following their victory on the nearby Pankrác plain, Vyšehrad was conquered and ransacked by the Hussites. The castle was abandoned and lay in ruins; later on the area was settled by craftsmen and trans-formed into a small town.

Church of St. Peter and Paul Founded by Prince Vratislav II in the second half of the 11th century, the capitular and parish church has undergone numerous reconstructions, including its conversion from a Romanesque basilica to a late-Gothic style under Charles IV, Baroque modifications in the 1720s and Neo-Gothic redevelopment, started in 1885 by the architect Antonín Mocker. The interior is splendidly decorated. The main altar depicts the church’s patrons, Saints Peter and Paul, as well as Saints Cyril and Methodius, while the altar on the left in the second chapel is a magnificent early-20th-century Art Nouveau piece by the wood-carver Jan Kastner. In 2003, Pope John Paul conferred “basilica minor” status on the Vyšehrad church.

Vyšehrad Cemetery and Slavín tombThe Vyšehrad national burial ground was established upon the initiative of the provost Václav Štulc in the 1870s on the site of an old cemetery dating back to 1660. There was a cemetery here as far back as 1260. Slavín, a tomb for prominent Czech figures, was built between 1889 and 1893 upon the initiative of the

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REGULAR SHUTTLE BUSAIRPORT ➠ CITY CENTRE

COMFORTABLE AND DIRECTTRANSPORT FROM PRAGUE AIRPORT

TO THE CITY CENTRE OR BACKAirport bus stop: T1 exit F, T2 exit E

LEAVES EVERY 30 MINUTES TICKETS CAN BE BOUGHT

DIRECTLY FROM THE DRIVER

Bus stop – CITY CENTRE –is in V CELNICI Street

• NEXT TO METRO LINE B •&

• 40 METRES FROM NÁMĚSTÍ REPUBLIKY •

www.cedaz.cz

Svatobor association. A sarcophagus and an allegoric winged figure of the Genius Patriae are placed above the central monument. There are two statues on the sides of the monument: the Mourning Country on the left and the Victorious Country on the right. Six hundred distin-guished Czechs are buried at Vyšehrad – writers, poets, scientists, painters, composers, actors, politicians, etc., whose tombstones are great works of art.

Rotunda of St. Martin The rotunda was established in the second half of the 11th century; following the construction of the Vyšehrad fortress it served as a gunpowder storage room. In 1841 the authorities intended to tear down the building to make way for a road between the New Town and the Pankrác quarter, yet its demolition was prevented by Count Karel Chotek. In 1875 the rotunda was bought by the Vyšehrad canonry, which had it restored.

Vyšehrad parksThe central grassed area, set up at Vyšehrad in the first half of the 20th century, was in 1948 adorned

with three Josef Václav Myslbek sculptures depicting scenes from Czech legends: Lumír and Song, Záboj and Slavoj, Ctirad and Šárka. Later on, a fourth sculp-ture, Přemysl and Libuše, was added.The most extensive Vyšehrad park, stretching over the area of more than a hectare, is the orchards between K Rotundě and V pevnosti streets opposite the New Deanery, named after the former provost of the Vyšehrad canonry Mikuláš Karlach. A statue of Saint Jan Nepomuk stands approximately in the middle. On the site of the former watch-house there are three fragments of the huge “Devil’s Pillar”, possibly a time-measuring device from the times of the old Slavs, with the total weight of some two and a half tonnes. In front of the New Deanery (next to Štulcova street) lies a park covering about a quarter of a hectare, built in 1873 and 1874 by the provost Václav Štulc. It assumed its current appearance in 1954, when it was opened to the public. The park’s landmark is the equestrian statue of St. Wenceslas by Jan Jiří Bendl dating from 1678, which originally stood on Wences-las Square and was moved to Vyšehrad in 1879.

At the beginning of the Thirty Years War, new for-tification of Prague commenced. In 1653 the con-struction of bulwarks resulted in the destruction of the upper town at Vyšehrad and the Canonry was removed. The fortification on the rock had the shape of an irregular pentagon with five bastions, with the buttresses being up to five metres deep and the aver-age height of the ramparts exceeding 13 metres. The ramparts were furnished with connecting corridors and casemates, which served for storage of ammuni-tion and food. The complex included an immense

Baroque armoury that in 1927 was destroyed by fire. Even though it took almost two centuries to build, the Vyšehrad stronghold was never actually used to de-fend Prague. In the mid-18th century, it was occupied by the French and later on besieged by the Prussians, who attempted to break it down yet were prevented from doing so by the local population. Vyšehrad remained administered by the Austrian Army until 1911, when the fortress was handed over to the City of Prague. In 1962 the entire complex was declared a national cultural monument.

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What´s on in Prague

to overlooked composers and forgotten repertoire. In recent years, she has focused on collaboration with the leading period-instrument orchestras (Akademie für Alte Musik, Les Arts Florissants, Concentus Musicus Wien, etc.). At her third performance in Prague, on 12 Novem-ber at the Rudolfinum, Cecilia Bartoli will present a pro-gramme made up of works by Mozart, Gluck, Haydn and Beethoven. www . rudolfinum.cz

Images and Prototypes The exhibition juxtaposes works by the contemporary artists Nairy Baghramian (sculptures), Henrik Olesen (collages and installations), Florian Pumhösl (paintings on glass) and Mathias Poledna (films focusing on the relation between entertainment and art) with exam-ples of modernist exhibition craft, Surrealist typogra-phy and Functionalist glass. It aims to create a staged space that explores the relation between seemingly incompatible works of art and the role the arts have played in society in the past and present, as well as their possible role in the future. The exhibition runs at the Municipal Library until 17 November. www . ghmp.cz

Merry Christmas and a Happy New

Year

Benedictines in the Heart of Europe, 800 – 1300. "Open the Garden of Paradise".The exhibition, taking place at the Waldstein Riding School and the Klementinum galleries in Prague, presents the high spiritual and artistic culture of the Benedictine Order in Central Europe in the early Middle Ages. It mainly displays applied-art, sculpture, book-painting and architecture items. The exhibition is open from 7 November 2013 to 15 March 2014. www . ngprague.cz

Art Brut from JapanThe joint project of Museum Montanelli (MuMo) in Nerudova street and the ABCD Civic Association is focused on contemporary Japanese Art Brut. The works on display were previously shown at the Collection de l’Art Brut museum in Lausanne and subsequently at the Halle Saint Pierre museum in Paris. The Prague exhibi-tion presents drawings, paintings, sculptures and textile items by thirty or so creators who often work in studios specially adapted for mentally ill and psychologically disadvantaged artists. The exhibition runs until 19 January 2014. www . muzeummontanelli.com

Cecilia Bartoli in PragueThe Italian coloratura mezzo-soprano has been one of the most globally celebrated classical music artists for over two decades. The winner of five Grammys, two Classical Brit Awards, ten ECHOs, a Bambi and other major prizes, owing to the enormous success of her solo CDs she is today’s best-selling classical artist – 10 mil-lion copies of audio and video releases. Cecilia Bartoli has brought classical music to people all over the world and is especially noteworthy for having drawn attention

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František Drtikol: From his Photography ArchiveThis year marks the 130th anniversary of the birth of the Czech photographer František Drtikol, best known for his portraits and nudes. The exhibition draws from the artist’s donation of works to the Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague in 1942. It comprises his unique photo-graphs, mainly working studies and variations that were not intended for public presentation at the time. The images on display are a deep probe into Drtikol’s studio work. The collection is accompanied by examples of the artist’s design projects (lamps and decorative items). The exhibition, which runs until 24 November, features an in-teractive programme for visitors. www . upm.cz

Harlem Gospel ChoirThe globally renowned Harlem Gospel Choir will be performing on 12 December at the Broadway Theatre in Prague. Since its establishment in New York on 15 January 1986, the anniversary of Martin Luther King’s birth, the ensemble has garnered international acclaim and enthralled audiences worldwide. It is returning to Prague after three years with a new show titled Harlem Gospel Choir Sings Stevie Wonder, featuring gospel standards, traditional Christmas songs and, naturally, Stevie Wonder hits. www . divadlo-broadway.cz

Collegium 1704An Advent concert at the Dvořák Hall of the Rudolfinum on 17 December will feature George Friedrich Handel’s grand oratorio Messiah as performed by Collegium 1704 & Collegium Vocale 1704 and distinguished soloists: Roberta Mameli (soprano), Franziska Gottwald (alto), Eric Stoklossa (tenor) and Tobias Berndt (bass). The compos-er created this extraordinary piece within a mere 24 days in August and September 1741 in London before leaving for Ireland. Today, Handel’s Messiah is one of the most celebrated monuments of European musical culture. www . collegium1704.com

Michael Bublé The Canadian vocalist, songwriter and actor Michael Bublé has won three Grammy Awards and other prestigious accolades. His new album, To Be Loved, released in April 2013, was a huge success. His world tour, which started in early summer with ten sold-out concerts in London and five in Dublin, included a series of forty performances in the USA. Next year, Bublé will be returning to Europe and his first stop will be in Prague, where on 24 January he will give a concert at the O2 Arena.   www . o2arena.cz

Jiří BoudaAn exhibition marking the 80th birthday of the Czech painter Jiří Bouda will be taking place at the Prague City Museum from 4 December to 16 January. The majority of the artist’s works on display relate to Prague and include several cycles of colour litho-graphs of bridges, the Karlín viaduct, as well as the defunct Prague – Těšnov and other railway stations. Captured in remarkable detail are a number of vanish- ed Prague buildings. A fascinating glimpse into the city’s recent past. www . muzeumprahy.cz

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Visit the second oldest monastic library in the country. Peruse one of the best kept collections of historical books, manuscripts and first editions in Central Europe. Pore over the maps and globes and be astounded by the unique decorations in the Philosophical Hall, the Theological Hall and the frescoes and exhibits in the Cabinet of Curiosities. Strahovské nádvoří 1/132, Praha 1tel. +420 233 107 749Private tours: tel. 602 190 297Open daily: 9 – 12 and 13 – 1731. 12. 9 – 15, 1. 1. 11 – 1724. and 25. 12. closed

www.strahovskyklaster.cz

Strahov Monastery is the oldest Premonstratensian monastery in the Czech Republic

Str

ahov

Lib

rary

Discover the magic of Prague Towers

The Petřín Observation Tower The Mirror Maze on Petřín HillThe Town Belfry by St. Nikolas´ Church The Powder Tower

The Lesser Town Bridge Tower The Old Bridge Tower

OPEN DAILY: November–February 10 am–6 pm, March 10 am–8 pm, April–September 10 am–10 pm, October 10 am–8 pm

www.muzeumprahy.cz

Open: Tue – Sun 9 a.m.– 6 p.m.Na Poříčí 52, Prague 8 -FlorencMetro line C/B -Florenc station

3D cinema – unique virtualflight over the Langweil’s

model of Prague

T H E C I T Y O F P R A G U E M U S E U M

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The National Gallery in Prague is hosting an extensive exhibition marking the 90th anniversary of the birth of the architect Karel Prager (1923 – 2001). One of the most distinguished Czech master builders of the sec-ond half of the 20th century, the majority of his designs were implemented in Prague. The exhibition presents a comprehensive collection of Prager’s works spanning the period from the 1950s to the end of the century. Karel Prager not only designed interesting projects, he also aimed to devise novel structures and new types of construction elements. A point in case was the building of the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, in which he for the very first time used light Czech-made suspension panels, which clearly manifests his conception of façade as skin – an en-velope draped over the structure. Prager’s first large project was the Federal Assembly (today the seat of the National Museum), within which he recon-structed the original stock exchange building and added an annexe to it, a “house on a house”. Other projects among others include the studios next to the Emmaus Monastery, a complex of buildings of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics in Troja and the remarkable New Stage of the National Theatre. Prag-er also reconstructed the historical building of the Rudolfinum gallery and concert hall and the cubist House of the Black Madonna in the centre of Prague. Karel Prager created extraordinary architectural works that still amaze today. The exhibition at the Veletržní palác in Prague 7 displays models, plans and photographs from the archives of the Gama Studio, and from the National Gallery’s property. It will run until 5 January 2014. www.ngprague.cz

Karel Prager architect, builder, visionary

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18th Prague German Language Theatre Festival

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The Best of GershwinBolero and Jewish Songs The Best of World and Czech MusicJewish Mystical Melodies

Concerts at one of Europe’s most beautiful synagogues

A selection of the most beautiful Mozart arias in the Mozartissimo programme

For the current programme, visit www.bmart.cz

The Spanish Synagogue, Prague 1

The Estates Theatre, Prague 1

We are preparing the Year of Czech Music for you… www.yearofczechmusic.czwww.czechmusic.orgcontact: lenka.dohnalova@theatre.cz

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WWW.FAJANS.CZ

FAIE

NCE • MAIOLICA

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Carving up the slopesall day long

and then an eveningin a water park?

czechtourism.com

The Czech Republic.More fun than you would expect.European Capital of Culture 2015

Christmas in Pilsen 2013Pilsen on Republic SquareChristmas Markets Nov 27 – Dec 23, 2013Christmas Tree Lighting CeremonyDec 1, 2013 – 6 p.m. Christmas Carol SingingDec 11, 2013 – 6 p.m.

www.visitpilsen.eu

from Eni research

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Charles University in PragueInstitute for Language and Preparatory Studies

UJOP, Vratislavova 10, 128 00 Praha 2, www.ujop.cuni.czfax: +420-224 990 440, e-mail: ujop@ujop.cuni.cz

• intensive courses of Czech as a foreign language in Prague - one-year course, one-semester, six-week and evening

Czech language courses, special courses, one-to-one courses, online courses, preparatory courses for university studies

• preparatory courses for language exams• standardized exams of Czech language for foreigners

at the Folk Architecture Museum in Kouřim30 November – 29 December 2013

Advent and Christmas in Bohemian country traditions

www.skanzenkourim.cz

Ethnographic programmes:Saint Nicholas tour, Saturday, 7 December

Third Sunday of Advent, 15 DecemberEpiphany carol-singing, Sunday, 5 January 2014

Less than an hour’s journeyfrom PragueFriday – Sunday 10 am – 4 pm

/open on 26 December too/

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Czech Famous Clasiccal Music Composers The Czech lands are the birthplace of numerous outstanding, globally renowned classical music composers. We would like to draw your attention to at least a few of them.

Josef Mysliveček (1737– 1781) was born in Prague into the family of a miller. He studied music in his na-tive city and subsequently in Italy, where he settled for good in 1763. He was a prolific composer, with his works including 30 operas, 10 oratorios, numerous symphonies and church pieces. Unfortunately, many of his creations have not been preserved or have yet to be rediscovered in archives or private collections. Mysliveček was extremely popular in Italy, where he was allegedly dubbed “Il divino Boemo”. He was also a close friend of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His career was cut short in 1777 as a result of suffering serious injuries during a carriage accident. Mysliveček died four years later in Rome, abandoned and in poverty.

Bedřich Smetana (1824 – 1884) hailed from the fam-ily of a wealthy brewer in Litomyšl. His first job was in Prague, where he worked as a concert pianist and teach-er; between 1856 and 1861 he lived in Gothenburg,

Sweden, serving as a conductor and pedagogue. After returning home, he engaged in social and cultural life, striving to create an original Czech musical style. In ad-dition to symphonic poems, piano, vocal, chamber and orchestral pieces, Smetana wrote eight operas, with the most popular of them being the internationally famous comic piece The Bartered Bride. Deemed the founding father of Czech music, he had a significant impact on the generations of composers that followed in his country.

Antonín Dvořák (1841 – 1904) is probably the most globally celebrated Czech composer. He was born in Nelahozeves. At the age of 16 he left for Prague to study. He went on to perform with a theatre orchestra and later worked as a church organist, gave piano lessons and, above all, composed. After the premiere of his Stabar Mater, in 1884 he was invited to London, where he conducted the cantata to great acclaim, which launched his international career. From 1892 to 1895, Dvořák served as director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York. During his time in the USA, he composed his famous Symphony No. 9, “From the New World”, and other works which also reflected inspiration by Native- and African-American music.

During his final years, which he spent back at home, he focused on composing opera and chamber music. Dvořák was an ardent admirer of Czech and Slavonic folk music. He created nine symphonies, grand vocal-instru-mental and chamber pieces, 10 operas (with Rusalka be-ing the best known) and other significant works.

Leoš Janáček (1854 – 1928) was born in the village of Hukvaldy, Moravia. After graduating from a gram-mar school, he went on to study in Prague, Leipzig and Vienna before returning to Brno, where in 1881 he founded an organ school which in 1919 became a conservatory. In the mid-1880s, Janáček began com-posing more systematically. The succesful 1914 pro-duction in Prague of his opera Jenufa (premiered in 1904 in Brno) opened the gates to stages worldwide. He was most acclaimed for his later works, which in-clude the symphonic poem Sinfonietta and the orato-rio Glagolitic Mass. Janáček is one of the most singular modern Czech and international composers, mainly valued for his original style, inspired by Moravian and other Slavonic folk music.

Bohuslav Martinů (1890 – 1959), a native of Polička, studied at the Prague Conservatory and from 1920 to 1923 was a Czech Philharmonic violinist. From 1923 he lived in Paris, where he discovered new techniques and experimented with Expressionism and Constructivism, and also adopted the jazz idiom. In the early 1930s, he found his main style in Neo-Classicism. Martinů wrote about 400 pieces, including six symphonies, 14 ballet scores, a large body of chamber, orchestral, choral and instrumental works and 15 operas, with the most fre-quently staged being Juliette and The Greek Passion.

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• The Mělník Chateau, high above the confluence of the rivers Labe and Vltava and offering a breath-tak-ing view of the nearby legendary Mount Říp, is the town’s landmark. The guided tour includes an excur-sion to the wine cellars and the St. Ludmila Chapel. The chateau is the property of the Lobkowicz family, who have restored and maintained the building. It is open to the public throughout the year.

• The Church of Sts. Peter and Paul faces the Mělník Chateau. One of the oldest churches in Bohemia, its Romanesque crypt contains an ossuary, which between 1915 and 1919 was reconstructed by the famous anthropologist Jindřich Matiegka.

• Definitely worth a visit is the town’s underground with a unique medieval well. Built in the 14th cen-tury, it is registered in the Guinness Book of Records as the widest well in the Czech Republic.

A Trip Outside Prague - Mělník

In the late 18th century, Mělník was a provincial town unaffected by the Industrial Revolution. Yet after the col-lapse of Bach absolutism, social life began thriving and a number of significant organisations (a firemen’s asso-ciation, sports and tourism clubs, choirs, etc.) came into being. The town’s strategic riverside location and prox-imity to Prague allowed for the development of trans-port. In 1845 the first steamboat appeared there, in 1874 the Austrians implemented in Mělník a part of a railway connecting Vienna and the German border in Děčín. At the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries, important new constructions originated in Mělník (a bridge across the river Labe, a dock, the Vltava river channel, etc.). In 1894 the town was equipped with telephone and telegraph facilities. New finance compa-nies were established too. In the second half of the 19th century, the Mělník region was an agricultural centre, cultivating corn, malting barley, fruit, vegetables and wine grapes. In 1868, a sugar refinery was built and the first special viniculture school in Bohemia was founded. The town’s prosperity was disrupted by World War I, yet in its wake a construction boom continued - new roads, sewerage, an electrical power network. Following World

The town of Mělník lies at the confluence of the rivers Labe and Vltava about 30 kilometres north of Prague.

The area has been settled since the Neolithic era. At the end of the 10th century, the Mělník stone castle was built on the site of the original Pšov fortification. At the time, silver coins were produced in the town and wine grapes began to be grown in the region. In 1247, Mělník gained the statute of town and later became a dowry town belonging to the Queens of Bohemia. In the 14th century, Emperor Charles IV brought wine grapes from Burgundy and Champagne, thus refining the local viniculture. Following a period of boom, in the 15th century Mělník started to stag-nate and subsequently even suffered decline. It was seriously afflicted by the Thirty Years War, with the Swedish occupation, plundering, fires and epidemics resulting in the town’s depopulation and the major-ity of the surviving craftsmen and viticulturists going abroad. In the 17th and 18th centuries, Mělník was further devastated by plague, peasant uprisings and years of crop failure.

War II, Mělník experienced industrial, infrastructure and housing development, as well as population growth (today it is inhabited by approximately 20,000 people).

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Prague taxi servicewww.aaaradiotaxi.cz

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Slivovice – plum brandy), Bohemian garnets, amber, wooden marionettes, art and design pieces, folk art pieces, spa wafers and typical spa drinking cups, etc.

◗ The majority of shops open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on workdays. It is, however, easy to do one’s shopping at weekends as well, primarily thanks to numerous shop-ping centres (e.g. Palladium near metro station “Náměstí Republiky”, Nový Smíchov near metro station “Anděl”, or Centrum Chodov at metro station “Chodov”).

◗ Currency exchange rates One US dollar buys approximately 19 CZK, one Euro approximately 25 CZK, and one pound sterling approximately 30 CZK.

◗ Banks Most banks in Prague are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

◗ Postal services The main post office is open daily from 2 a.m. until midnight. It is located at 14 Jindřišská Street in the very centre of the city, near metro station “Můstek”, the interchange metro station for the A and B lines.

Public transport information◗ There are three underground (metro) lines

operating in Prague – green (A), yellow (B) and red (C). The metro system interconnects all the important places around the city, with tram and bus connections to destinations where the metro does not reach. The public transport network is reliable and covers the city thoroughly. The metro operates daily from 5 a.m. to midnight. After midnight, public transport is ensured by night tram and bus lines.

Useful information◗ Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic.

It has approximately 1.3 million inhabitants, on an area of some 500 sq km (193 sq mi). It originated around 1000 A.D. and for many years remained a group of independent villages. Under the rule of Charles IV (14th century) medi-eval Prague experienced its greatest development. At the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries the city gained further renown owing to Emperor Rudolf II. Between 1918 and 1992 Prague was the capital city of Czechoslovakia and since January 1993 has been the capital of the independent Czech Republic. Since 1 May 2004 the Czech Republic has been a member of the European Union and on 21 De-cember 2007 it became part of the Schengen Area.

◗ Bank holidays in the Czech Republic: 1 January – New Year, Easter Monday, 1 May – Labour Day, 8 May – Liberation Day, 5 July – The Day of Missionaries and Saints Cyril and Methodius, 6 July – Jan Hus (John Huss) Day, 28 September – Czech Statehood Day, 28 October – Independence Day, 17 November - Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day, 24 December – Christmas Eve, 25 December – Christmas Day, 26 December – Boxing Day.

◗ Traditional Czech dishes are a meal of braised beef with cream sauce and bread dumplings and roast pork with dumplings and cabbage, while the traditional Christmas meal is carp. Main courses in restaurants usually cost (depending on location) from CZK 150 to CZK 300.

◗ Popular souvenirs purchased in the Czech Repub-lic include Czech cut glass, porcelain, traditional liquors (Becherovka – herbal bitters, mead,

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www . czech.czofficial website of the Czech Republic

www . praha.euweb portal of the City of Prague

www . praguewelcome.czPrague tourist web portal

www . czechtourism.com official travel site of the Czech Republic

www . kudyznudy.czideas for trips

www . florenc.czwebsite of the Florenc coach terminal

www . cd.czCzech Railways website

www . prg.aeroPrague Airport website

www . dpp.czwebsite of the Prague public transport operator

www . jizdnirady.idnes.czwebsite timetables of trains, buses and public transport in the Czech Republic and Europe

www . chmi.czwebsite of the Czech Institute of Hydrometeorology – information on weather in the Czech Republic

The EU universal emergency telephone number112

Fire Brigade emergency number 150

Emergency medical service number 155

Municipal police emergency number 156

Emergency number of the Police158

Information (tel. numbers, information on traffic, cultural events, etc.)1188

Useful Czech telephone numbers 1180

Prague contact centre12444

Roadside assistance1230

Airport information – nonstop line220 111 888

International country calling code for the Czech Republic +420 (00420)

Important telephone numbers: Useful links:

◗ Public transport links to Václav Havel Airport Prague (Letiště Václava Havla) Bus 119 – “Dejvická” (metro line A) – “Letiště Václava Havla” – 22 min. Bus 100 – “Zličín” (metro line B) – “Letiště Václava Havla” – 16 min. Bus 179 – “Nové Butovice” (metro line B) – “Letiště Václava Havla” – 38 min. Airport Express Bus – Prague main railway station “Hlavní nádraží” (metro line C, with SC, EC, IC and EN type rail links) – “Letiště Václava Havla” – 33 min.

◗ Public transport fares

TYPE OF TICKET AdultsChildren up to 15 years

Basic 90 min. CZK 32 CZK 16

Short-term 30 min. CZK 24 CZK 12

1 day 24-hour CZK 110 CZK 55

3 days 72-hour CZK 310 -

Airport Express (AE) CZK 60 CZK 30

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Owing to the ongoing construction works in Letná, the public transport connections as depicted on the map will probably change. Please read the information at stops or call the info line 800 19 18 17.

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Editor: Milan BenišPhotos: Stanislav Jelen CC BY-SA 3.0,Erinc Salor CC BY-SA 3.0, Aviv ben Jehuda CC BY-SA 3.0, Hana Němečková, Pavel Růžička CC BY-SA 3.0, Czechtourism and advertising partners

Design: AlineaPrint

MK ČR E 20878

i-Prague 4/13 Quarterly journal 75,000 copies in English and 75,000 copies in German

• Airport Terminal 1 and 2• Prague City Hall,

Jungmannova 29/35, Prague 1Metro stations: • Muzeum • Anděl • Hlavní nádraží

TRANSPORT INFORMATION CENTRES

• Old-Town Hall• Lesser Town Bridge Tower• Rytířská 31• Václav Havel Airport Prague

TOURIST INFORMATION CENTRES

for free distribution

www.i-prague.info

Transportation map Daily operation, October 2013 Dopravní podnik hl. m. Prahy, a.s.

Kiss & Ride

Park & Ride

Parking:Metro Railway station

Funicular

AE Airport Express bus

Tram routesBus routes direction to the airport

Occasional terminus

Tram route out of order

The stop is closed

Owing to the ongoing constructionworks, the public transportconnections as depicted on the mapmay change.

Please read the information at stops or call the info line +420 296 19 18 17.